Ripples and Currents

You may, by way of even a slight movement of your hand, cause a visible ripple or splash upon the surface of the sea. The effect will appear before you immediately — and disappear just as quickly. In that moment, you will see most palpably that you have affected the vastness of life, however minutely and superficially. For some men, this minor and momentary satisfaction, particularly if repeated many times, provides some solace, substituting for the sense of ultimate significance or efficacy which the ripple-maker, with each new effort, becomes increasingly aware that he lacks.

If, on the other hand, you wish to cause a change in the ocean current, then you must eschew the immediate gratifications of the surface-dweller, conserving and concealing yourself as you develop the patient energy of atmospheric shifts, the necessity of the seasons, or the silent, accumulated force of centuries. You must also learn how to hold your breath for what will seem to be impossible lengths — an essential skill for one who knows he will find his effects only at great depths.